Each of the Nordic countries is a democracy. They all practice a mixture of free enterprise and socialism. This political system means that people have some degree of freedom in how they are going to earn money, but there is government regulation in certain areas. For example, Nordic governments guarantee certain goods and services to everyone such as healthcare and child care services.

Historically, the Nordic nations have stayed neutral in political foreign affairs. They try not to engage in international disputes. For example, Norway does not allow militaries to use it harbors nor does it allow nuclear weapons to be stored on its land.

The economies in the Nordic nations are very stable. They have diverse resources from which they derive their wealth. Denmark and Sweden use the topsoil deposited by glaciers coupled with the mild climates for agriculture. Denmark uses more than half of its land for farming. It produces more than three times the amount of food needed to feed its people.

Nordic people also rely on fishing Norwegians compare the ocean to farmland and call their waters the “Blue Meadow.” The Nordic nations profit from mining and exporting oil and gas and other minerals. Forestry and logging also provide the region with the resources for export.